


on the tip of my tongue

by chefnagisa



Category: Free!
Genre: Eventual Smut, Food Porn, M/M, POV Alternating, Restaurant!AU, Slow Build, accountant rei, chef nagisa
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-11-16
Updated: 2015-11-21
Packaged: 2018-05-01 21:47:53
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,782
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5222180
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chefnagisa/pseuds/chefnagisa
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Fine dining has never been something Rei has been interested in. The price and principle confuse him, but through the very thing he used to disregard he finds a world of color through the talent of one little chef. Nagisa is unorthodox, annoying, disgustingly perverse-- but every encounter leaves him awed and hungry for more.</p><p>(Reigisa Restaurant!AU)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Gonna get this out there, I've never written a fanfiction before- but I've decided to go all out on my first one. So with this story, that is probably going to be very long seeing as I'm super long winded and lame... I'm also making a tumblr ask-blog to explore the characters and setting to ensure I don't lose inspiration for the story!
> 
> The blog is chefnagisa.tumblr.com, and although Nagisa and Rei are the main characters, feel free to help me explore the others as well.
> 
> As this is my first, please be gentle.

Rei Ryugazaki ate to provide his body with energy, and if he could he would eat the same balanced meal every day for the rest of his life. Things like taste really held no importance in his meal preparation. To sacrifice the optimal amount of nutrition for something to be a bit more salty, or sweet- it made little sense to him. Skeptical as he was in this aspect of his life he often agreed to go out to dinner with acquaintances or clients at work. His choices were usually whatever seemed to be the healthiest on the menu, but never before had he been to a restaurant that specialized in table d'hôte meals.

He was given no menu, nor any choice in what he would be eating.

“Tachibana-san…”

“Makoto.”

Rei cleared his throat, his eyebrows furrowed at the burly brunette sitting across from him, “Makoto-san, I must digress when you asked me to accompany you for dinner I didn’t expect you to pick someplace so-”

“Frou-frou?” Makoto interjected, his lips curled into the smallest hint of a smirk.

A simple nod was the only acknowledgement Rei gave in return as he let his eyes wander back to the laminated, and admittedly very aesthetically appealing, menu still grasped firmly in his slightly sweaty hands.

  


**CORAL 44**

**HEAD CHEF: NAGISA HAZUKI**

**SOUS CHEF: HARUKA NANASE**

**DESSERT CHEF: AIICHIRO NITORI**

**Theme: FRENCH FUSION**

**Prince Edward Island Mussel - Chorizo, Smoked Paprika, Japanese Chive**

**Cauliflower Soup - Marcona Almonds, Dates, Olive Oil**

**Grilled Local Squid - Potato, Sweet Pepper & Olive Salad**

**Pan Seared Diver Sea Scallop - Vichyssoise Cream, Leek Fondue, Potato Crust**

**Tahitian Squash and Roasted Garlic Ravioli - Leeks, Carrots, Truffle Foam**

**Crispy Veal Sweetbreads - Guacamole, Crispy Shallots, Tomato Compote, Quail Egg**

**Grilled Prime Hanger Steak - Cipollini Onion, Roasted Parsnips, Mango Chutney**

**Crème Fraîche Cheesecake - Dulce de Leche, Graham Cracker, Walnut Streusel**

**Milk Chocolate Cremeux - Candied Pecans, Brown Butter, Ganache, Coconut Sorbet**

  


“It seems a little intimidating, doesn’t it?” A rich chuckle left the older man’s lips as their waitress, a friendly red haired girl who seemed to be giving Rei a rather mischievous smirk whenever she thought he wasn’t looking (he was), silently brought a bottle of a deep red Syrah and a small carefully arranged bread basket.

Intimidating was an understatement, as much as he prided himself as a connoisseur of beauty, and a gentleman of elegance and/or refined class… he had no idea what at least four of his shining silver utensils were.

“... I’m sure I’ll be fine, Tachibana-san.”

“Ma-ko-to!”

 

\----------------------

 

_To: Nagisa-kun_

_Congratulations on the promotion, Haru told me that tonight is your first service as head chef! I’m sorry I didn’t say so last week, but I didn’t have much reception up north on vacation with my family. How do you feel?_

_…_

_To: Makomama_

_MAKO-CHAN!!!!!!!!!!! I’m so excited!!!!!!!!!!!!! I’m also super nervous, but like haru-chan is supposed to be my 2nd so i’m not suepr worried but im like ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh idkkkkkk!_

_…_

_To: Nagisa-kun_

_Well I still have my table for tonight, but Rin cancelled last minute, it would seem he has the flu. :( You know how I feel about eating alone, haha._

_…_

_To: Makomama_

_OMG MAKOTO YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED TO NOT SHOW UP, FIND SOMEONE TO TAKE OUT TONIGHT OR I AM NEVER TALKING TO YOU AGAIN_

_…_

_To: Nagisa-kun_

_Nagisa… you can’t ignore me forever, we’re roommates._

_…_

_To: Makomama_

_FIND SOMEONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!_

\----------------------------

 

Nagisa Hazuki had sacrificed everything to pursue his career as a chef. His parents had cut him off financially when they discovered he had entered culinary arts in college, and not accounting as he had initially led them to believe. He had to leave behind his friends when he pursued a once in a lifetime apprenticeship in France. He had almost cut off one of his fingers trying to prove himself as a line cook, but the ambulance was quick and after six months it had healed to almost as good as new (just with an added scar).

Cooking was his passion, every dish a little piece of his heart, and every failure an encouragement to do even better.

At only twenty-five he had worked at Coral 44 for a bit over two years, and been fired about six times. The old head chef, and the one before that, in that pattern about seven times over, had all butted heads with the fiery blonde. Technique was one thing, but Nagisa was a strong believer in taking risks and innovating whenever he could.

There was no such thing as a perfect dish, and he always knew he could do even better the next time.

It was Haru every time that would convince the owner to hire Nagisa back, always rubbing in his face the few high rollers who came to the then struggling restaurant just for his cooking.

“If you fire him, I’ll quit.” He would deadpan every time, and nobody had ever seen a chef handle fish quite as well as Haru. Letting him go would be a stupid move.

Thankful for his friend, he was never bitter when Haru had been promoted from line cook to sous chef before him, and even offered the position of head chef a year prior. It was just his lucky break that Haru thought the job to be just a bit too troublesome for him to bother. He loved to cook, but he didn’t care enough to construct an entire menu and lord over the other chefs. He just wanted to man the fish station and occasionally attempt to climb in the lobster tank.

Nagisa was dreaming of that moment where he could prove himself as a chef, and he knew that becoming head chef was a good stepping stone in his journey to get there.

Two of their line cooks had quit when Nagisa had been promoted, not willing to work under such a young chef, and a few rejoiced at the change. He didn’t look like it, but Nagisa ran a stable kitchen, usually a smooth sailing sort of operation. Nagisa didn’t often lose his temper, but the few times in the past he had it was nothing short of fucking terrifying.

Nagisa was usually 100% fun and games, but while cooking it couldn’t be more of the opposite.

\--------------------------

 

_To: N_

_makoto will be attending_

_…_

_To: Harusaba_

_OH GOOD, now I won’t have toi banish him nfrom my life 4ever :)_

_…_

_To: N_

_he is bringing his accountant_

_…_

_To: Harusaba_

_OMGHARUCHAN PLEASE TELL ME YOU’RE KIDDING WTF HAHAHAHAHAYHAHAH_

\-------------------------------

 

Makoto had always wanted to work with children, and somehow doing that at a swim club had seemed like the most logical thing to do. From a part-time job in his teens to being manager of the very same club ten years later, he was very content doing what he did. He got to see all manner of colorful characters through his work, and one that had stood out like no other was Ryugazaki Rei. Not because Makoto found him attractive (not that he wasn’t), or because of an abundance of skill- Rei was the only adult to ever enter the pool with arm floaties.

Makoto couldn’t help but gawk from his spot at the lifeguard tower as the man waded around the shallow area of the pool for half an hour EXACTLY, and then left. This happened for a few weeks before Makoto approached him and asked if perhaps he would be interested in swim lessons. He remembered the relief on the blunettes face at that moment, and it hit Makoto that although he had been fine to flop around the shallow end like a fool, he had been too embarrassed to ask for any sort of help.

What a strange guy.

The lessons were friendly enough, and some casual conversations in the locker room led to Makoto hiring him to do the books for the swim club, since Rei worked at a fairly large accounting firm. Although they saw each other every other week, they didn’t exactly spend time with each other outside their respective places of work… which was why Rei was so shocked to receive an invitation to dinner.

\----------------------------------------

 

“Haru, how long on the scallops?” Nagisa called while viciously grating a potato and dropping the shavings into the small deep fryer.

“Twenty seconds.” His sous chef replied, eyes never leaving the scallops frying loudly in the pan before him as Nagisa shouted for one of the cooks to start plating, to which the young man let out a nervous and very loud ‘YES CHEF’.

When the dishes made their way to the countertop, pea shoots finding their way on the plate right before it reached Nagisa, he inspected the dish closely, wiping the edges of the china before ringing a bell and calling for the servers to take the seafood out to table 9.

That’s where Makoto and the accountant are sitting…

It wasn’t that he would treat people he knew better than other customers, but he wanted one thing from Makoto at the end of the night. For him to give him that ‘I’m so proud’ hug and ruffle his hair… and then to maybe go home with Haru so Nagisa could get drunk in the apartment off some box wine because holy fuck he was getting stressed out.

His throat hurt from yelling, Aiichirou had burnt a tray of candied nuts, and one of his servers had started bawling because of troubles at home. He didn’t need any problems on his first night, and it was taking everything in him to not go from yelling to throwing things.

“Nagisa! Nagisa come here!”

Bright and slightly grating in his current mood, Gou burst through the bustle of the kitchen, having completely abandoned the floor for some reason- but the expression on her face told Nagisa that this was important.

“... What is it Gou, I’m kind of busy--”

“Shut the hell up for one second and come with me!” She blurted, grabbing his sleeve and dragging him out of the kitchen, Nagisa glad for the slight lull in orders as they neared the end of the night.

Deciding his best option was to submit to the redhead’s whims he allowed himself to be swept to the swinging kitchen doors that separated him from the customers and peer through the window with his much too antsy waitress.

“Yes, the dining room is very full tonight Gou, is there anything else you wish to waste my time doing?”

Gou pinched his side earning her a loud ‘WHAT THE HELL’ as she grabbed the back of his head and turned it slightly to the left where Makoto and his accountant were sitting and…

“Holy shit, who is that?”

A smirk from the fiesty female is all he got in return.

\------------------------------------

 

The moment the first bite hit his tongue, Rei was astonished. Due to the incredibly small portions he was urged by his companion to savour each bite, and that he did. The first thing that hit him was brine, the taste of the sea not masked but enhanced by the accompanied Japanese Chive- and then there was heat. Paprika setting his tastebuds ablaze, but not uncomfortably so… and through the heat, salt. Salty and oily chorizo, creating a unique but perfectly balanced surf and turf in one bite.

… but he was only given one bite.

Looking to Makoto he watched as the other man sat with his eyes closed and a smile on his face. “Typical Nagisa,” The brunette chuckled, laying down his fork and allowing the waitress to take the dish away-- and was it just him or was she staring at him stranger and stranger each time?

“Typical of who?”

Makoto folded his napkin over and wiped the side of his mouth before continuing, “The mussel is super typical of the chef usually in charge of the seafood, simple in such an elegant way-- but the chorizo, and that heat… super bold, such a Nagisa move.”

While the mussel had been delicious, the unity- the balance had been the true wonder. This Nagisa woman… he immediately imagined a bold, professional woman in her mid forties maybe? Who had taken great strides as a chef and learned to wow through practiced technique and patience, elegant and refined.

He was suddenly looking very forward to the rest of this meal.

\---------------------------

 

Another dinner rush conquered, and the kitchen staff stood in their now sparkling kitchen (except their poor bus boy Momo, sadly scrubbing at a pile of dishes) sharing a toast on a job well done. While one table had been impressed enough to buy the kitchen a bottle of wine, another table had quite a different request.

“Chef?” Came a meek voice from behind him, and he turned around to give Ai a huge smile, having completely forgiven him on his mishaps earlier for making some of the best sorbet he had tasted in recent memory.

“Is something wrong?”

“Uh no-- I mean, I was told to tell you that… oh uh, a table wants to see you?’

Although not unheard of he raised an eyebrow, most of their customers had left already except…

“It’s Makoto-san’s table.”

Nagisa practically flew out the door, trying quickly to fluff his sunny curls but completely missing the swatch of chocolate on his jaw.

\---------------------------

 

Rei was so content, feeling simultaneously heavy and light. Full of food but also at ease, as he never knew how calm good food could make you feel. Granted he saw the bill and for a moment was pulled out of his good mood to stare in shock, but it had been worth the experience. Though he had a long day at the office, maybe him being over tired had made the food seem better due to hunger or sleep deprivation?

No! Snap out of it!

Rei had already requested to a rather timid and mousy boy walking by to speak to the chef, this Nagisa woman, and he was fully prepared to give her his utter gratitude. Why was he feeling so nervous though? Well, he always did have a thing for older women.

An older woman wasn’t what he was presented with, as Makoto cleared his throat and Rei spun towards a young man. Early twenties maybe, and almost an entire head shorter than himself. Fluffy blonde hair, messy and… was that flour? Skin covered in youthful freckles, from too much time spent unprotected from the harsh rays of the sun. How barbaric. Chocolate on his jaw, apron slightly damp-- what an absolute mess.

Yet he was smiling at Rei so brightly it almost hurt to look straight at him

“Rei, this is my roommate- and head chef, Nagisa Hazuki.”


	2. I want to hire you, for reasons not related to but not opposed to making out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short chapter this time! Thanks for the support guys, I really appreciate it.
> 
> chefnagisa.tumblr.com is still where you guys can reach me for questions / anything else.
> 
> Enjoy!

“... N-Nagisa--”

  
Shaking hands grabbed thick blonde locks and stared, eyes hazy and filmed over with pleasure, as Nagisa met his gaze and winked- all with a mouth full of his cock. Those shaking hands found their grip and stroked the sides of his face like he was a work of art, like he was beautiful and delicate and sexy and wonderful.

  
“Je t’aime- Nagisa, Je t’aime-- ah--”

  
With that he was pushed over that edge, hot white seed filling Nagisa’s mouth, and the blonde smiled wide to hide that he was trying to conquer his gag reflex and swallow, in an attempt to keep the moment sexy. Those hands though, those wonderful wandering hands, pulled him close for a kiss, not caring about the taste of his own seed on the smaller man’s lips.

  
And that kiss turned into another, and gentle touches from roaming limbs, becoming tangled up in each other as they curled and twisted and tried to push their bodies as close as they would go.

  
“Je veux passer ma vie avec toi.”

  
Nagisa broke the silence, their playful ‘lovers moment’ hitting a wall will those words. Even with their first ‘I love you’s’ nothing had seemed this real, and Nagisa could feel his heart beating so fast in his chest as his boyfriend reached out to place one last kiss to his forehead.

  
“Of course, Nagisa- of course. Stay with me, stay with me in Paris.”

  
“Kisumi...”

\----

“... you’re Nagisa? Nagisa Hazuki? The head chef?” Normally Rei felt like an idiot for repeating himself, but a part deep inside of him was hoping that him demanding further clarification would somehow bring to light that this was some sort of hoax, or he had simply misheard the boy before him.

  
How old was this kid? Had he even graduated high school?!

  
He did however notice the corner of said kid’s mouth twitch, as if his words were somehow blowing away the smoke and mirrors of this happy-go-lucky facade. When Nagisa only nodded again in return, letting out a slow ‘Yuuuup’ while popping his lips on the end of the word, Rei brought a hand up to rest against his nose, in thought.  
“... are you sure?”

  
Makoto flicked the accountant’s arm and became much more interested in fluffing Nagisa’s hair and hugging him, gushing about how good dinner was and how much he enjoyed it. Yet rather than melt into his roommate’s embrace and demand he compliment him further, he was stuck with his eyes locked with Rei, as if both of them were stuck in a state of disbelief.

 

Rei had been sure Nagisa was a beautiful older woman, not some bouncy teenager.

  
Nagisa had been sure Rei was a dorky handsome-- something, not a complete asshole.

  
Breaking the tension Makoto grabbed Rei’s shoulder while keeping a firm group on Nagisa’s, trying very hard to diffuse the ticking time bomb that was this entire encounter. “I was telling Rei that the restaurant was having some trouble with bookkeeping, he does all the numbers for the swim club so I was thinking--”

  
Asshole or not, Nagisa wanted to jump him. For a few minutes at least, and then possibly punch him. On the mouth. With his mouth.

  
“Yeah! Oh gosh, yeah-- fuck-- oh god, those books- crazy! Numbers and stuff everywhere!” Nagisa stumbled gracefully over his words, jumping onto his tippy toes when Makoto gave his shoulder a firm squeeze, trying to calm him a bit.

  
“You know, math stuff- God, what was your name again?”

  
“Rei Ryugazaki, you can call me Ryugazaki.”

  
Nagisa chuckled, raising one eyebrow. Surprised, insulted, no matter how he was feeling- he needed to get the upper hand on this guy, and even if he lost this war he wanted to win the battle.

  
“Alright, Rei-chan- wanna do our taxes, or is there something else you’d like to do instead?”

\----

Dark and red, a content sigh passed through their over-decorated living room as it hit the back of this throat and that insatiable thirst was once again quenched.  
Box wine might fucking suck, but it did the job.

  
“You’re glad he said yes, but now if you keep up your poor behavior he could file for harassment.”

  
Nagisa almost screeched, turning around the glare daggers at Makoto, who was simultaneously nagging him and giving Haruka eskimo kisses. God, those two made him want to gag. Was it jealousy or maybe just his distaste for romance at this point in his life. He had his career, who the fuck had time for boyfriends?

  
With a huff he stood up, brandishing his wine glass like the mightiest of swords, “It’s not MY fault you’re some sappy romantic Mako-chan, with your perfect ‘highschool sweetheart’ love story- do you know how long it’s been since I got laid?”

  
“Nagisa you already--”

  
“Eight months, Rei! Eight months, and no before you ask I don’t count what happened with Rin at the Christmas party as getting laid--”

  
Haru took the time to look between the two curiously, as he still didn’t know the details of what happened at the Christmas party. “... Rin?”

  
“That isn’t important Haru-chan, that isn’t the point!”

  
Most people knew they had hooked up, but Nagisa refused to tell anyone it was 10% making out, 90% Rin crying on Nagisa’s shoulder because he ‘couldn’t do it with someone he didn’t love’. It was sappy and embarrassing and Nagisa would protect Rei’s bad boy image if that meant keeping just one juicy tale to himself.

  
“C’mon Nagisa, last year your bedroom pretty much had a revolving door, maybe it’s about time you slow down-” Makoto tried to reason until Haru raised a hand to his lips with a slow shake of his head, this wasn’t the time or the place to tell Nagisa to settle down.

  
“Do you like him?” Haru asked, face indifferent, but his eyes definitely betraying his interest to his two closest friends.

  
“No, I hate him but he’s so hot- I just want to fuck him, just some fooling around.”

  
“... hm.”

  
Some group of encouraging friends.

\----

Rei didn’t get stressed out. If you were faced with a problem and saw no way to immediately solve it, why dwell? It solves nothing and leads to wasted time, and yet now he was dwelling on his stupid boy- this idiot Nagisa. He never wanted to see him again, but had agreed for the sake of his company to do his books? Was he some sort of masochist? Or was it the possibility that if he said no he would never get to eat food like that ever again?!

  
He touched the card a quiet black haired chef had handed him on his way out: Monday morning at 9am, that was when he could start pouring over their apparently very disorganized books.

  
Would Nagisa be there? Would he be cooking?

  
Why did it matter?! He shouldn’t even be wanting to indulge in these expensive dishes? Dishes- that was a joke, twenty bucks got you maybe two mouthfuls of food.  
They had been extremely good mouthfuls though.

  
Opening the pantry in his extremely bland kitchen he pulled out a small red box that read ‘CORAL 44’ in gold foil script, untying the silk ribbon and revealing the treasures inside. A small box of truffles he had been given on his way out. A ‘mignardises’, Makoto had told him. Popping one of the five remaining truffles in his mouth his savored it with his eyes closed, slowly closing the box once more and tucking it away.

  
He had never been one to indulge in such… pleasures.

  
They were good, but not a match for the other night. Their pastry chef must have made them, such a shame his skills weren’t as refined as his boss--

  
“This is fucking ridiculous.” He hissed, frowning as his fluffy Persian cat meowed loudly on the ground. His face morphed into something a bit softer as he scooped up the disgruntled ball of fur, placing a small kiss on her head.

  
“I knew you’d agree, Emi.”


End file.
